PE 1/28 An Honest Viewpoint

Hey, Todd. Nice of you to stop by again. So… what’s with the measuring tape?

* what’s with…? What is the purpose of or reason for…?

= what’s up with; why; what’s going on with

ex> What’s with all the yelling? I thought I asked you kids to be quiet.

That would be an awful lot of trouble for us to go to just so I could have a slightly larger desk.

* an awful lot of: a large or excessive quantity

ex> There are an awful lot of dirty dishes in the sink.

It figures that you’d have ulterior motives. Go back to your palatial desk. And you can give that whole “friendly visit” spiel a rest now that I know what your game is.

* palatial: 대궐 같은, 호화로운

* ulterior motive(s): hidden reason(s) for doing something

ex> Marvin says there’s a nice restaurant at the racetrack, but I think he has ulterior motives.

* spiel: a lengthy speech intended to persuade

ex> I closed the door on the salesman because I didn't have time to listen to his spiel.

ex> Just ask Malcolm for a straight answer, or he’ll give you a whole spiel about his problems.

* one’s game: a method of deception someone employs, sometimes habitually

ex> Ralph wants my girlfriend to teach him Spanish, but I think I know what his game is.

PE 1/27 David Foster Wallace Speech – Part 4

Because here’s something else that’s true: in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism.

* atheism [^|eɪθiɪzəm]: 무신론

And an outstanding reason for choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing to worship – be it J.C. or Allah, be it Yahweh or the Wiccan mother-goddess or the Four Nobel Truths or some infrangible set of ethical principles – is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive.

* infrangible: 침범해서는 안 되는

* eat someone alive: to completely overwhelm or defeat someone

ex> Don’t even think of challenging Darla to a game of chess: she’ll eat you alive!

The trick is keeping the truth up-front in daily consciousness. Worship power – you will feel weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to keep the fear at bay. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart – you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. And so on.

* up-front: information that is not hidden; initial payment

ex> The clerk was up-front with us about the costs of shipping the bicycle.

ex> We needed $500 up-front to enter the tournament.

* keep something at bay: to prevent something from coming near or causing harm

ex> We always travel with some insect netting to keep mosquitos at bay.

* end up: to arrive at a certain place or situation, especially at the end of a journey

ex> If you don’t improve your habits, you could end up losing your license.

* on the verge of: to be at the point of almost doing something

= on the brink of; on the edge of; on the point of

ex> She was on the verge of giving up when the drawbridge began to slowly open.

PE 1/26 An Unwanted Visitor

I’m assuming the door didn't ring itself, which means that someone is standing on the other side waiting for one of us to respond it some kind of meaningful way.

* meaningful: 의미 있는

It’ll only take a moment. If it’s religious people, I’ll just tell them we’re Calgonites or Samsonites or something. If it’s a salesperson, I’ll pretend I can only speak Swedish. It’s as easy as pie.

* (as) easy as pie: simple or effortless to perform

ex> Public speaking can be easy as pie once you realize that nothing terrible can happen to you.

Note> “A piece of cake” means the same thing, and refers to the ease of eating (rather than making) these tasty desserts.

What if it’s Chole from upstairs? She’ll talk your ear off about her dog or her roommate or her job or something. We’d never get to finish the movie!

* talk one’s ear off: to talk incessantly without letting the other person speak

ex> Every time my mother phones, she talks my ear off about people I've never heard of.

Calm down, Jane. If we’re not going to answer the door, then what are we going to do? Just sit here whispering until our would-be visitor calls it quits and leaves us in peace?

* would-be: something that would exist if not for an intervening circumstance

ex> Those would-be drivers lining up for their examinations look very nervous.

Well, if they haven’t left already, the sounds of a zombie battle should do the trick. Hang onto your Stetson – I’m pressing “play”!

* do the trick: when something solves a problem

ex> The olive jar was very difficult to open, but running it under hot water did the trick.

PE 1/23 Getting the Picture

Have you ever noticed that some people like to make little efforts to make their homes look a bit more… lived-in? Like say, putting pictures on the walls?

* lived-in: showing signs of use or habitation

ex> Her grandparents’ old lakeside cottage had a comfortable, lived-in appearance.

Hey, my landlady let me choose this wallpaper. It’s totally immaculate. Why would I cover it up with a bunch of pictures?

* immaculate: 티 하나 없이 깔끔한

Prison wallpaper can’t hold a candle to this stuff. Look at those perfect lines. It brings a tear to the eye.

* bring a tear to the eye: to cause sentimental or tender feelings

ex> Hearing one’s national anthem when in a different country always brings a tear to the eye.

I’m serious. It worries me that you can be as happy as a clam in a place that looks so barren.

* as happy as a clam: very content; immune to displeasure

ex> There she was on the kitchen floor, cookie jar in her lap, as happy as a clam.

Note> The original phrase was “as happy as a clam at high tide.” Clams can only be dug up by people (or dogs!) when the tide is low.

I’m not buying it, Lenny. I don’t care if you hide them behind the couch the moment I leave, but we’re getting more framed pictures to put up in here before they come and take you away. Today. Now.

* buy it: to believe a piece of information

ex> He said he would quit smoking before his birthday, but I don’t buy it.

Don’t get any big ideas, Martha Stewart. Your keys are here on the kitchen counter. Let’s go.

* get any big ideas: to assume you’ll be permitted to do something extra

ex> You can borrow my motorcycle for one hour, but don’t get any big ideas.

PE 1/22 Making a Splash

I’m happy just to stand here and let the waves tickle my belly button. I love that there are no rocks to stub my toes on!

* belly button: 배꼽

You promise you won’t pull a fast one? I've heard that swim instructors play all kinds of nasty tricks, like throwing babies into the water!

* pull a fast one: to make a quick maneuver, often to deceive

ex> Never change money on the street. Those crooks will try to pull a fast one!

I promise: I've got you. Now just lie back and fall into my arms. You’ll love the sense of freedom. Trust me.

* I've got you: I will protect you; I will pay your bill

ex> Just pedal quickly and look straight ahead. I’ve got you.

ex> Put that wallet away, Mister. It’s payday, so I’ve got you.

Oooo! I just can’t, Davis. I don’t want to be a downer, but it’s too scary. Maybe some other time we can try to… Hey! Look! They've got jet skis here!!!

* downer: a depressing person or situation; a disappointment

= wet blanket; stick-in-the-mud; party pooper

ex> I agree that Randy can be a downer, but I really think we should do our best to cheer him up.

Don’t worry, babe. They won’t come in past the swimming floats. We’re completely safe and sound here.

* safe and sound: free from danger or injury

ex> The stray kittens are safe and sound in the box we put out for them.

Note> A ship that came through a storm or battle was declared “safe” when it returned to harbor, and “sound” when it showed no signs of damage.

You really are full of surprises! Okay, we’ll take a rain check on swimming lessons. But you’d better wear a life jacket!

* full of surprises: unpredictable; behaving in unexpected ways

ex> Trudy is full of surprises: she just quit her job to take a helicopter pilot’s course.

PE 1/21 Something to Chew On

I just want to be certain that we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. Maybe a little sprucing up is all this place needs.

* reinvent the wheel: to change something that already works

ex> Charlie wastes so much time at work because he’s always trying to reinvent the wheel.

* spruce up: to make something (or oneself) tidy or attractive

= smartening up; spiffing up; slicking up

ex> Rebecca insisted that they spruce up their house before her parents arrived.

ex> Lorelei loved parties because it gave her an excuse to spruce up.

Is this your new menu idea? Let’s see. Hm. I like the simple design. Lots of dishes for sharing – that’s smart. And specialty coffees too. But wait a minute – are these prices for real? Why is everything so expensive?

* for real: actually true

ex> For real? We’re actually getting an extra bonus this year?

Like it or not, it’s human nature. We learned all about it in my marketing program. It’s the same reason you’re always drooling over cars that cost more than they should.

* drool over: to openly want something very much

ex> It’s hard to believe, but his grandfather can actually drool over a farm equipment brochure.

ex> Sometimes we just stand outside the expensive shoe stores and drool over everything they have in the window.

I can’t argue with that, but I’m still on the fence about raising our menu prices that much.

* on the fence: to be undecided about something

ex> I usually know how I’m going to vote, but I’m really on the fence for this election.

PE 1/20 David Foster Wallace Speech – Part 3

One such part involves boredom, routine, and petty frustration. The parents and older folds here will know all too well what I’m talking about.

* petty: insignificant; trivial

ex> The judge was known to be very forgiving for petty offenses.

Note> The adjective “petty” was derived from the French word “petit,” meaning “small.” This original meaning still exists in terms like “petty cash” and “petty officer.”

* know all too well: to know something due to unfortunate or embarrassing experience

ex> The boys knew all too well why there was paint on the car’s back seat.

The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day.

* over and over: repeatedly in a tiring way

ex> Tina’s mother told her over and over to wash her hands after being out in public.

By way of example, let’s say it’s an average day, and you get up in the morning, go to your challenging job, and you work hard for nine or ten hours, and at the end of the day you’re tired, and you’re stressed out, and all you want is to go home and have a good supper and maybe unwind for a couple of hours and then hit the rack early because you have to get up the next day and do it all again.

* unwind: to relax; reverse the effects of stress

= put one’s feet up; take it easy; take a load off

ex> Gord liked to unwind by drinking hot chocolate and reading a car magazine by the fire.

ex> Why don’t we all go out for dinner after work this Friday so we can unwind?

It’s the end of the workday, and the traffic’s very bad, so getting to the store takes way longer than it should, and when you finally get there the supermarket is very crowded, because of course it’s the time of day when all the other people with jobs also try to squeeze in some grocery shopping.

* squeeze in: to incorporate with difficulty

ex> Cameron begged the dentist to squeeze in one more appointment at the end of the day.